The Biden administration has unveiled a plan aimed at decarbonizing supply chains and accelerating the adoption of clean trucking. This ambitious plan focuses on the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and hydrogen refueling stations along national freight corridors.
Presented on Tuesday, the plan intends to concentrate significant public investments along major roadways and catalyze private investment in the new infrastructure. This approach is crucial for reducing diesel pollution from medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
According to the strategy developed by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of Energy and Transportation, the goal is to have an affordable and ubiquitous charging and hydrogen refueling network for zero-emission trucks by 2040. This would help companies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation of goods, a sector responsible for about 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
The administration would prioritize investments in four phases, initially focusing on the most heavily used freight corridors and ports. In total, approximately 12,000 miles of roadways would be prioritized between 2024 and 2027, including major highways and roads around key ports such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach in California, as well as Houston, New York, and Miami.
For the trucking industry, which is facing increasing pressure from government policies and corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, this plan is warmly welcomed. It is seen as a thoughtful and progressive approach that can leverage the existing national network of refueling locations and encourage investment in charging infrastructure.
The Biden administration’s road map is part of a broader effort to reduce pollution in ports and on highways across the country, with the aim of making the trucking sector more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
